GRAND RAPIDS — The regulars at Jade Avenue Lutheran church’s “living nativity” scene, tired of standing endless hours in the cold while drivers crept by, hired local vagrants to take their place this year. But the men began carousing and asking for handouts, throwing the event into chaos.

“We were enjoying the manger scene when Joseph pulled a flask from his robe and took a long pull,” said Wendy Shanahan. “Then they banged on the windows and asked for ‘gold, frankincense or beer.’ My husband moved on pretty quick.”

Soon, the down-and-out bunch was high-fiving each other, riding frightened sheep and donkeys around and playing football with the baby Jesus doll.

For an hour, the fracas continued, drawing on-lookers who’d heard about the “party nativity.” Church elders arrived to see Joseph beating his chest Tarzan-style, the wise men singing off-color pub songs and the animals huddled fearfully in the corner. Viewers had parked and were tailgating. The man playing Mary was doing a striptease, to the roars of the crowd.

When the police arrived, people scattered.

“All robed persons, stay where you are,” one officer said over a bullhorn. The hired men spent a night in the county jail and were released. The church was fined for aiding and abetting public drunkenness.

The carousing vagrants already have an invitation to perform in next year’s “Rave Nativity” put on by the edgy Rock On Church.